Mail-transportation system.



PATENT-ED MAR. 5, 1907.

0. O. JOHNSON. MAIL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION EILBD JUNE 27,1906..

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PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

0 O JOHNSON MAIL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27,1906.

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OLIVER O. JOHNSON, OF WINDOM, MINNESOTA.

MAIL-TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed June 27, 1906. Serial No. 323,664.

Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMail-Transportation Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to elevated carriers for transportatingmail-matter and is designed especially for the use of persons livingalong the route of mail-carriers in rural districts.

The particular improvements consist in the construction of the hangerfor supporting the cable-wires and the trackway and of the carrieritself, which passes through the hanger.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction, com

bination, and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter fully described,pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,it being understood that slight modifications and changes may be made inthe size, shape, and material of the several parts and in other minordetails within the scope of the claims and without departing from thespirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mail-transportingdevice constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in thedirection of the arrow.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the hanger. l

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the carrier. tralsection through. the hanger, taken approximately 011 the line 5 5 ofFig. 1. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of the bottomplate for the hanger.

Like parts are designated by similar numerals in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the terminal post at thedelivery or post-ofice end of the line, and 11 designates the post atthe house end of the line, the latter being located adjacent the door ofthe house of the party using the line. Between the posts 10 and 11 isshown an intermediate post 12, carrying a hanger 13 for supporting thecable-a ires and trackway, as hereinafter re- Fig. 5 is a verticalcenferred to. In practice a plurality of intermediate posts and hangersmay be used, but

as all are identical in construction the de scription of a single onewill apply equally to the others. The hanger is fastened to its post bymeans of a metal strap 14, bolted thereto, as shown.

The delivery-post carries at its upper end a grooved pulley 15, whilethe house-post 11 carries a similar pulley 16, each of which is providedwith a crank-handle 17, a rope or cable 18 passing around said pulleysand having its ends connected to the mail-carrier, as hereinafterdescribed.

Attached to the terminal posts 10 and 11, between the upper and lowerstretches of the cable, is an elevated trackway 19, likewise formed ofrope or cable, and upon which the carrier 20 travels.

The hanger 13 is provided with a roller 21, journaled in an openingprovided for that purpose in its upper portion, and has attached to itsunder face a bent rod 22, curved, as shown in Fig. 2, and provided witha grooved roller 23, upon which the lower stretch of the cable 18 runs,the upper stretch thereof in like manner being carried upon the groovedroller 21. The lower portion of the hanger is enlarged, as shown, and isprovided with an opening 24 of sufficient extent to permit the carrier20 to freely pass therethrough. The lower end of the hanger is providedwith oppositely-facing shoulders 25, rounded, as shown, there being aspace between the shoulders, (designated 6,) in which the trackway 19fits, being retained in place therein by means of a plate 26, pivotedthereto and movable on the under face of the hanger. The outer end ofsaid plate is provided with a curved shoulder 27, while the inner end isformed with a pair of projecting lingers 28.. Attached to the outer sideof the hanger, as shown in Fig. 1, is a leaf-spring 29, the lower end ofwhich extends below the hanger, engaging with one side or "the other ofthe shoulder 27 of the supporting-plate 26 to hold the same in oneposition or the other.

The carrier 20 consists of a body portion 30, having the upwardly andoppositely inclined ends 31, a shank 32 connected to said body portion,and a receptacle 33, carried by the shank and in which the mail-matteris received. The body portion is formed with an opening 34, throughwhich the trackway 19 passes, there being a pair of grooved wheels 85carried in the interior of the body portion within the opening 34 andrunning upon said trackway. Owing to the size of the opening 34 throughwhich the trackway passes, there will obviously be some play oi saidtrackway when the carrier passes through the opening 24 of the hanger,due to the raising of the carrier as its inclined end 31 passes 1 overthe shoulders 25 or the hanger, which 3 are curved in cross-section toa'll'ord easy passage thereover. To retain the trackwa in place againstthe periphery of the rollers 35 during this elevatioi oi the carrier,there is provided a third interior wheel 36 in the body portion of thecarrier, which will serve vided with. an opening adjacent its lower endto hit the trackway during the passage of the carrier through the hforce the trackway ar wheels 35, retaining the tract therein and proverduring the elevation oi the ca '1 he width of the body port; rier issuch that the plans 32 is directly in line with the ope: ing 8 betweenthe shoulders 25 on the lower end oi the ha:.-. .ger, so that when theshank moves through said opening on the passage of the carrier throughthe hanger the plate 26 will lie directlv the path oi the shank, withore of its lin 28 extending across the 0pc... 6, as SliOWIL in Fig. 3.'lhe shank will theieiore contact with the adjacent i' ger, s. the plateslightly to one side to pein'nt its passage r-opeirmg, a2. st the goovesiii the i 111 place through the 01161- 11g, when the sprii g 29 willagain lock the plate in POSltiOli with the other finger across theopelniig 6. 01 the return trip of the ca; r the same actio;t.s will bemade by the shank and plate, as the plate is i'ieely movable lfl bothdirectims, owing to its pivotal fasten ig, and may thus be said toreciprocate across the under face of the hanger.

The-ends of the cable 18 are attached to a roller 37, carried by thecarrier-shz' ik b -1;- termediate its ends, a: d upon rot .1 ol thecable 111 either direction the ear ier Will be struction of bottom platefor the hanger.

This plate 38 ismade of cast-iron and is pro- ,vided with the curvedupper portion 39 and ears 40. In use the formation of the shoul ders 25will be obviated, as the opening 24 of ill extend completely through 1ing and pulleys connected to the upper and lower portions of said hangerto sur port the the hanger I the lower end thereof. Two plates thereforewill be used, one upon each leg of the hanger, attached thereto by boltspassing through. the ears ll), with the curved portions 39 opposite eachother, there being a slight space any slipping theieol to permit thepassage of the carrier therethrough; means adjacent said opening forsupporting said trackway; a rod connected to the under .iace of saidhanger and provided with a pulley for supporting the lower stretch ofsaid cable and a pulley connected with the j upper portion oi saidhanger for supporting 1r 1, i ii oi tue caithe upper stretch of saidcable.

2. in a device of the character described, the combination of anelevated trackway; a carrier mounted for travel thereon; a cable formoving said carrier; means for operating said cable; and a hanger forsupporting said traclnvay and cable; said. hanger being provided with anopening adjacent its lower end to permit the passage of the carriertherethrough; means movable upon the under lace of said hanger adjacentsaid opening for supporting said trackway; means connected with thecarrier for moving said supporting means out of the path of said carriera rod connected to the under face of said hanger and provided with apulley for supporting the lower stretch of said. cable and a pulleyconnected with the upper portion of said hanger for supporting the upperstretch of said cable.

In a device of the character described, the con'ibination of an elevatedtrackway; a carrier mounted for travel thereon; a cable For moving saidcarrier; means for operating 3 said cable; and a hanger for supportingsaid 1 .trackway and cable; said hanger being probctween the two platescorresponding to the 1 l l l l l r l l l l vided with an openingadjacent its lower end to permit the passage of the carriertherethrough; a plate attached to the under face of said hanger adjacentsaid opening and movable thereacross for supporting said trackway meansconnected with said carrier [or moving said plate out of the path ofsaid carrier during its passage through said openupper and lowerstretches respectively of said cable.

in a device oi the character described, the combinaticn of an elevatedtrackway; a carrier mounted for travel thereon; a cable for moving saidcarrier; means for operating said cable; said hanger being provided withan opening adjacent its lower end to permit the passage of the carriertherethrough; a

vention will be readily understood from the plate attached to the underface of said hanger adjacent said opening and movable thereacross forsupporting said trackway; means connected to said carrier for movingsaid plate out of the path of said carrier during its passage throughsaid opening; means attached to said hanger for limiting the movement ofsaid plate in both directions and pulleys connected to the upper andlower portions of said hanger for supporting the upper and lowerstretches respectively of said cable.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of anelevated trackway; a carrier mounted for travel thereupon; a cable formoving said carrier; means for operating said cable; a hanger forsupporting said trackway and cable; said hanger being provided with anopening at its lower end to permit the passage of the carriertherethrough; a plate attached to the under face of said hanger adjacentsaid opening and movable thereacross for supporting said trackway; meansconnected with said carrier for moving said plate out of the path ofsaid carrier onits passage through said opening; a catch mounted on saidhanger for limiting the movement of said plate in both directions; andpulleys connected with the upper and lower portions of said hanger tosupport the upper and lower portions of said hanger to support the upperand lower stretches respectively of said cable.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination; a flexibleelevated trackway a carrier mounted for travel thereon; a cable formoving said carrier; means for operating said cable; ahanger forsupporting said trackway and cable, and provided with an opening throughwhich said carrier passes and means on said carrier for elevating saidtrackway during its passage through said opening.

7. In a device of the character described, a flexible elevated trackway;a carrier mounted for travel thereon and provided withoppositely-inclined ends; a cable for moving said carrier; means foroperating said cable a hanger for supporting said trackway and cable,and provided with an opening adjacent its lower end through which saidcar rier passes; and a roller attached to said carrier to elevate saidtrackway during the passage of said carrier through the hanger-opening.

8. In a device of the character described, an elevated trackway; acarrier movable upon said trackway; a cable for moving said carrier; acable-wheel for operating said cable;

I and a hanger for supporting said cable and trackway, and provided withan opening at the lower end thereof to permit the passage of saidcarrier thereto; a shank connected to I said carrier; a receptacleattached to said shank and a roller mounted on said carrier forelevating said trackway during the passage of said carrier through saidhanger-opening.

9. In a device of the character described, an elevated trackway and anoperatingcable; a carrier mounted to travel on said trackway andcomprising a body portion having oppositely-inclined ends; a shankconnected to said body portion and a receptacle attached to said shank,said body portion being provided with an opening to permit the passagetherethrough of said trackway; rollers mounted inthe interior of saidbody portion and adapted to travel on said trackway a hanger forsupporting said track way and cable; and provided with an opening topermit the passage of said carrier therethrough and means connected withsaid carrier for elevating said trackway during the passage of saidcarrier through said hanger-opening.

10. In a device of the character described, in combination; a flexibleelevated trackway a carrier mounted to travel thereon and comprising abody portion having oppositelyinclined ends, a shank connected to saidbody portion, and a receptacle attached to said shank; a cable formoving said carrier and a cable-wheel for operating said cable; a hangerfor supporting said cable and trackway; and provided with an opening atits lower end to permit the passage of saidcarrier therethrough a platemounted on the under face of said hanger adjacent said opening andmovable across the path of said carrier-shank, the body portion of saidcarrier I being provided with an opening to permit the passage of saidtrackway therethrough and rolls mounted in the interior of said bodyportion, and adapted for travel on said track way; and means connectedwith said carrier for elevating said trackway during the passage of saidcarrier through said hanger opening.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OLIVER O. JOHNSON,

Witnesses S. L. Rocnns, JNo. J. RUPP.

